A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the treatment of cachexia. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for the treatment of cachexia by administration of a composition containing ingredients obtained from turmeric, ginger, and green tea to patients afflicted with an ailment that may cause cachexia.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Cachexia
Cachexia is a potentially fatal wasting of the muscles which appears to be the result of the loss of muscle proteins. Cachexia occurs in several life-threatening diseases, including certain cancers such as lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and cancer of the upper digestive system, AIDS, chronic heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver failure, emphysema, sepsis, tuberculosis and renal failure. Cachexia also occurs in cases of rheumatoid arthritis. Cachexia is thought to be responsible for about 30% of cancer deaths. This is due to the loss of fat and skeletal muscle that results from cachexia.
Cachexia is thought to be caused by loss of muscle proteins. This loss may be triggered by certain signaling molecules produced by immune-system cells, and by cancer cells. These signaling molecules are cytokines and include, for example, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), typically TNF-alpha, and interferon (IFN)-gamma.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating, chronic, systemic, autoimmune disease that causes destruction of joint cartilage and bone. It generally occurs between the fourth and sixth decades of life. It is characterized by joint stiffness, pain, and swelling, and is accompanied by a loss of body cell mass. This loss of cell mass, known as rheumatoid cachexia, predominates in skeletal muscle, but also occurs in the viscera and immune system. Thus, rheumatoid cachexia leads to muscle weakness and a loss of functional capacity, and is believed to accelerate morbidity and mortality in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid cachexia is characterized by elevated resting energy expenditure, accelerated whole-body protein catabolism, and excess production of inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1 beta. “Cachexia in Rheumatoid Arthritis,” Walsmith, J. and Roubenoff, R., Int. J Cardiol., Vol. 85(1), pp. 89-99, September 2002.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
Turmeric, or Haldi in Hindi, is used very widely as medicine as well as a common ingredient in Indian cooking. The rhizome of turmeric is used in medicine and food as a fine powder. Anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin isolated from Curcuma longa were reported in Srimal and Dhawan, Pharmacology of Diferuloyl Methane, a Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Agent, J. Pharm. Pharmac., 25:447-452 (1973). Significant anti-inflammatory activity for curcumin, comparable with phenylbutazone and hydrocortisone, was observed by Arora et al. (Indian Journal of Medical Research, 1971, 59, 1289-1291). Curcumin, an alkaloid (diferuloyl methane) isolated from the alcoholic extract of turmeric, has been shown to be a potent anti-inflammatory agent. Further work on anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity has also been carried out by Thatte et al. (Indian Journal of Pharmacology, 1986, 18 (1), 19-21). Turmeric has been found to have significant anti-inflammatory activity both in acute and chronic models. The therapeutic dose of turmeric, for optimal activity if used alone, is reported to be in the range of 5 to 10 grams of dry powder daily (Patwardhan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,668).
Curcumin not only has anti-inflammatory properties but also has anti-oxidant, anti-tumor and other valuable properties. When used in low concentrations, curcumin can inhibit nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and, therefore, inhibit nitric oxide production. For example, Brouet et al. (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., Jan. 17, 1995; 206 (2); 533-40) have reported that NOS activity in soluble extracts of macrophages activated for 6-24 hours in the presence of curcumin (10 microM) was significantly lower that that of macrophages activated without curcumin. Northern-blot and immunoblotting analyses demonstrated that significantly reduced levels of the mRNA and 130-k Da protein of inducible NOS were expressed in macrophages activated with curcumin, compared to those without curcumin activation. Inhibition of NOS induction was maximal when curcumin was added together with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and decreased progressively as the interval between curcumin and LPS/IFN-gamma was increased to 18 hours.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Native to southern Asia, ginger is a 2- to 4-foot perennial that produces grass-like leaves up to a foot long and almost an inch wide. Ginger root consists of the underground stem of the plant, with its bark-like outer covering scraped off. Chinese medical texts from the fourth century B.C. suggest that ginger is effective in treating nausea, diarrhea, stomachaches, cholera, toothaches, bleeding, and rheumatism. Ginger was later used by Chinese herbalists to treat a variety of respiratory conditions, including coughs and the early stages of colds.
Ginger has become widely accepted as a treatment for nausea. Even some conventional medical texts suggest ginger for the treatment of the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, although others are more cautious.
Ginger also gives some relief from muscular discomfort and pain. It inhibits prostaglandin and leukotriene biosynthesis and histamine release. Thus it acts as an anti-inflammatory as well as an antacid agent. It is a dual inhibitor of the lipoxigenase and cycloxigenase system. Ginger contains 1-4% essential oil (oleoresin). Used alone, fresh Ginger typically requires ingestion in substantially high doses (50 grams daily), which is not only inconvenient but can act as an irritant to the gastric mucosa. In dry form, 7 to 10 grams of dry ginger powder is typically taken daily. Such large doses of ginger are extremely inconvenient for the patient and affect patient compliance on a daily basis. (See Potwardhan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,668).
Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)
Green tea is the dried leaves and leaf buds of the shrub Camellia sinensis. It is mainly produced in China and Japan. Dried tea leaves are composed mainly of phytochemicals known as polyphenols (36%), principally flavonols (including catechins), flavonoids, and flavondiols. The leaves also contain plant alkaloids (about 4%), including caffeine, theobromine and theophylline. Much of the research on green tea has been focused on its potential to prevent cancer. Research suggests that the polyphenols in green tea are responsible for a chemopreventive effect (E. Kaegi, Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1998, 158: 1033-35).
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)
Horseradish, a perennial herb (Armoracia rusticana, but sometimes classified in other genera) of the family Cruciferae (mustard family), is native to Central and Southern Europe. It is grown mainly for its roots, which formerly were used medicinally, particularly as an antiscorbutic. Horseradish is also an excellent diuretic, and is good for digestion problems. Herbalists combine horseradish and honey for coughs and asthma treatments. Externally, it is sometimes used to alleviate the pain and stiffness caused by rheumatism.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,248,504 and 5,385,734, disclose the use of horseradish to treat nasal and sinus dysfunction. Attempts have also been made to provide oral horseradish remedies for certain ailments. U.S. Pat. No. 98,875, relates to a medical compound including pulverized horseradish for alleviating asthma, coughs and colds. U.S. Pat. No. 74,205, discloses a medical compound containing horseradish for the treatment of consumption.
There remains a need for alternative methods for the treatment of cachexia.
Accordingly, it is an object of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a method for the treatment of cachexia.
This and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the summary and detailed description of the invention, which follow.